Paul Merson makes Champions League prediction for Arsenal

Arsenal’s failure to sign a ‘superstar’ may cost the club in Europe, says Paul Merson (Picture: Getty)

Paul Merson has predicted Arsenal will fall short in the Champions League again this season after the club failed to strengthen their attack with an ‘X factor’ signing.

Arsenal reached the Champions League final for only the second time in their history last term after overcoming Atletico Madrid to set up a mouthwatering clash with the holders Paris Saint-Germain.

Kai Havertz struck after only six minutes to get the Gunners off to a flying start in Budapest, with Mikel Arteta’s men on course to complete the double and finally bring the club’s wait for a European trophy to an end.

But Ousmane Dembele converted from the spot with 25 minutes remaining of normal time and PSG would go on to defend their title as Gabriel Magalhaes missed the decisive penalty in a nerve-shredding shootout.

Arsenal kick off their group-stage campaign away to Napoli later this evening and confidence will be high within the group on the back of three successive victories in the Premier League against Coventry, Aston Villa and Chelsea.

Bruno Guimaraes, Ezri Konsa and Christos Tzolis have all been added to Arteta’s squad in preparation for the new season, with the north Londoners splashing out around £160million on the trio.

However, former Arsenal and England midfielder Merson believes the club’s failure to sign a ‘superstar’ like Vinicius Junior or Julian Alvarez will ultimately cost them in European’s premier competition.

The English champions face Napoli in the Champions League this evening (Picture: Getty)

Atletico Madrid star Alvarez was heavily linked with the Gunners this summer (Picture: PA)

‘Arsenal’s record last year was amazing in the Champions League up to the final,’ Merson told Sky Sports when asked about the club’s Champions League chances.

‘They’re going to be there or thereabouts, I just don’t think they bought that X factor to take them to that level.

‘I think they’ve got enough to win them the Premier League with their squad, I just think their forward line against the big boys… I just think they’re missing that little ingredient.

‘If they’d got a Vinicius Junior or a Julian Alvarez then I think that would have given them the edge to go on and win the Champions League, and I think they might just fall short.

‘But they will be there or thereabouts, there’s no doubt about that.’

Asked if the fanbase would prefer to win the Premier League or the Champions League this season, Merson replied: ‘Now they’ve won the Premier League after a long, long time, I think it would probably be the Champions League.

‘I don’t want to talk on behalf of everybody else but there’s a song that goes around that says, “We’ve won it all, we’ve won it all”, and Arsenal haven’t been able to sing that.

‘I would imagine Arsenal fans would like to win that to be able to sing that song at away grounds.

Arsenal agreed a £75m deal with Newcastle for Guimaraes (Picture: Getty)

He added: ‘They were so close over the last few years and then they got over the line impressively last season.

‘They’ve kicked on again, bought some good players. I do think they could have gone again and bought a real superstar but their squad is immense.

‘They are so solid, it’s so hard to get a shot off against them let alone score a goal.’

Arsenal have won three from three in the Premier League (Picture: PA)

Merson was impressed with the resilience Arsenal showed against Chelsea last weekend, claiming the Blues never really threatened again after Morgan Rogers’ second-minute volley at the Emirates.

‘Chelsea went there with one of the best if not the best attack in the Premier League and they scored after 77 seconds but I can’t remember them ever looking like scoring another after that,’

‘That just shows you how dominant Arsenal are at the moment but I think it’s important you start well in the Champions League.

The north London giants have never won the Champions League (Picture: PA)

‘The first time this tournament came out in this format, teams struggled to get through and then last year, everybody went bang and tried to get their wins under their belts very, very quickly.

‘For me, Napoli is an important game, I think you want to keep the momentum going.

‘If you’d have said to me a year, two years ago, Napoli away then I would have gone, “Phwoar, yeah, that’s a hard game”, but Chelsea went there in Europe and beat them so they are beatable and I don’t expect Arsenal to lose.’

Merson has played down City’s title chances under Maresca (Picture: Getty)

Manchester City are the only other team to have won their opening three matches in the Premier League this season after getting the better of Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Coventry.

Merson hasn’t been totally convinced by their performances under Enzo Maresca, though, and is confident Arsenal remain the team to beat in the English top flight.

‘No, I don’t see them winning it,’ he said when pressed on City’s title hopes.